T Alerts wrote:Newburyport Line Train 163 (1:20 pm outbound) will be assisted back to Boston where a new train set will take passengers out to Newburyport.

Looks like outbound train 111 just used track 2 to run around the dead 163. The inbound 168 was holding at the Wonderland interlocking for 111 to pass, and appears to be now going to be crossing over to track 1 to shove the dead 163 back in. Quite a ballet.

Indeed train 168 went by 163 on track 2 as usual, not helping out. Sounds like the set that was going to be 170 is now going deadhead to Lynn. Maybe one of the new leased work units is doing the rescue "assist" of 163 to Lynn and presumably back to the house. That would be an interesting photo op at Lynn in a little while.

If the speed doesn't get up to the usual 70MPH between Eastern Ave. and the Saugus Draw - which seems to be the case because it's only going 31MPH going by the Wonderland interlocking - then we can assume it's a double-draft with the set that was going to be 170 that came down from Newburyport for the rescue, or it's got a work engine tied on. Once it gets to Lynn if the car ID changes from 1652 to another one that will be interesting to see.

At noon today at the Needham Heights layover yard, an MBTA Geep of some sort (it was too far away for me to ID it) latched onto the cab car end of a 5 car train (all single level) and its F40PH "power" and pulled it out of the south end of the yard (a fairly rare move as most yard access happens at the north end to/from the Needham Heights platform) heading to perhaps the shops? I'm guessing this train failed to launch for the morning rush but I could be wrong.

I got first-hand reports that it was most likely a failed turbo in the 1055 HEP. Apparently there was a gigantic eruption of fire from the rear exhaust of 1055. Whatever damage was done from the fire and water from the firefighters was serious enough that they couldn't get MU to work between the two sets.

We got to North Station just after 7PM... 422 was approximately 1 hour 20 min. late and 494 was about 50 min. late.